The Black Fleet at Mynog 8
by Estaban Maturin
Summary: Commodore Fernandez goes under cover to stop a War Lord


Star Trek  
The Black Fleet  
Mynog 8  
By Estaban Maturin

**Prolog**

Commodore L R Fernandez  
Star Base 4  
Stardate: 241234

To: Admiral W A Fernandez (Ret.)  
Austin, TX, North America  
00179512

Dear Bro.,

I'm sitting in the infirmary doing a whole lot of nothing while I "recover" from resent events. The "Counselor" here keeps telling me that if I don't talk about it I can't get over it (I hate those **_Darn_** shrinks!) I keep telling him he ain't got enough security clearance for me to even tell him were, much less what, but he is insistent so I struck a deal. I tell you, and he will release me for duty.

It all started about ten months ago at DS5, the Indefatigable was undergoing a routine refit and my flotilla was dispersed on other duties (you know the drill) It was decided that I was needed on Mynog 8. Infiltrate and Investigate a War Lord Zim.

A Defiant class vessel took me there under cloak, I can't tell you which Defiant class ship but it was a _Defiant _ class. They dropped me in a drop bubble (have you ever tried one of them? its a bag of oxygen rich liquid and you breath it, no air at all) and I burned in like a meteor. Mynog 8 was a paranoid planet, they watch for beam in or any ship, and of course blow it up.

So here I am on a planet that doesn't like outsiders and Hates StarFleet people even more...

**Chapter 1**

I'm in a hiding place two klicks away when the Security Patrol come around and check the meteor. Forty-five minutes from time of impact, they are running slow. Of course they will only find what's left of a meteor, what a ride. Then it took me ten days (29.4 hours per day) to get to the capital, using one of my alias documents I get a job in a low security government facility. I get the job done and stay very reliable and secure, and with in six months I got promoted to a medium security post. Any information worth passing on is copied and stored. The Intel guys said I will get one free transmission on the compact radio but if I use it a second time I might as well turn myself in, because they will have me cold. After two more months comes my big break. My clearance check had finished OK and there was an opening in high security level. I got the job. To this point this has been harder then my time with the Orions.

When I first got to town I stayed at a flop, rooms the size of a large closet and you pay by the day. After I was there for a month I got an efficiency apt., about the size of a walk in closet but with a refresher and kitchenette.

Let me tell you about the planet its about 1239 miles in diameter and the eighth planet from a red giant, the gravity here is 1.15G, so it is a bit heavy here. I had been here about two months when Taric and Angellic introduced themselves and we became good friends going out to eat and playing Monhog together (a local game involving cards, dice, chips, and a computer randomizer) I met them at work and they called themselves the official welcome wagon. In no time I was getting Intel from them in the form of gossip, it was great, I was working in accounting, Taric was in interplanetary shipping and receiving and Angellic was in Planetary Defense, and we all worked out of the same building. Good economics bad security.

CHAPTER 2

The big break came when Taric told us (Angellic and I) that we had received Gravitic mines. Then Angellic said that they were to be sown in this Solar System to prevent anyone (StarFleet) from sneaking in. "They will have to travail the System in sublight speed to avoid the mines and we will see them before the ninth orbit.

A note about Gravitic mines, they are the nastiest most underhanded weapon you can find. Bar None! Suppose you are cruising along at warp six and all of a sudden you hit Earth's gravity at say Sea level. The forces pulling on your ship are... Big, Large, Extraordinary, Exorbitant... lets say a lot. That is what a Gravitic mine does, they have been outlawed for over two hundred years. I read in a report about a year back that the Orions had found an unknown mine field and was harvesting it, for the purposes of refurbish and resell. I remember that I took that with a grain of salt, the danger of retrieving a two hundred year old mine much less opening it up? Well maybe it was true.

It was time to transmit my data. The orders were to transmit and resume your every day life till StarFleet could do there job. so I went to the annual New Sol Block Party, its like New Years Eve in Time Square only to the power of 5, and transmitted at the count down number of two, it was done before everyone started yelling "Happy New Sol!" then it was easy to get away before the Security Patrol hit them with mass stunners and searched the crowd.

That was it my job was finished, StarFleet was told and I could not use the transmitter again with out being found so it was back to work and life as normal and wait for StarFleet to do there job.

Two weeks later we (Taric and Angellic and I) were playing Monhog, I bid three red and randomized it, Taric bid five Indigo and randomize, and Angellic said, "Hey, that reminds me, we heard from our spy in StarFleet Indigo level." "Indigo? How did we get a spy in there? They have a Vulcan brain scan daily" asked Taric. I sat there with a dumb look, "what is Indigo level?" Angellic and Taric both looked at me. "You number crunchers don't hear much do you?" said Angellic, not unkindly. "So how did we get a spy in Indigo?" asked Taric. "They don't have Vulcans its Badazoid empath weekly." said Angellic, "Anyway the spy is not in top security he is in low security and listen to gossip and watercooler talk." (just like me) "So what did he hear?" I asked. StarFleet wants to send the Black Fleet." said Angellic. Taric gasped and said, "Then we are all dead!" "Why?" I asked still dumb but not really playing (I haven't heard the rumors and lies about me) "The Black Fleet is commanded by Commodore Fernandez, he got his command by shooting two torpedoes through another Star Fleet vessel, killing everyone in it, just to stop an Orion ship." said Taric (some of that is true, but none of the other crew died from that) "The Black Fleet has Storm Troupers, They were Black and Gray armor that is blaster proof and can withstand vacuum or bioattact and carry type VII Gatlin Phasers." Said Angellic. "They have been known to shoot one of their own rather than have him used as a hostage and I have even heard of one running into an enemy camp and self-destructing killing everyone there." said Taric (half truths) "I heard that one of the captains blew up a planet and got the highest Commendation for it" said Angellic. (It was a small planetoid and the Star and Cluster for saving his ship and crew) "Are you all sure your not making all this up?" I asked. "Honest to Zim", "Straight truth!" were the answers.

Looks like I better make another transmission no mater what the cost.

CHAPTER 3

I composed a brief message to StarFleet and told them about the leak and the way around security, then I went to the most public place I could find, a shopping mall, and hit transmit. One minute later the whole complex was locked down and we were both scanned and hand searched, of course I had ditched the transmitter but they detained us all until it was found and tested, its signature matched me, big surprise. Security Patrol Officers rechecked their findings then shot me.

When I came to I was not sure I had, I could not feel anything or see or hear for that matter. Just when I was about to have an attack of faith (after all this might be Purgatory) a cold and arrogant voice asked me, "Who are you?" "I am Rubin Freilie" I answered. "That's what your papers say but they lie, and so do you. WHO ARE YOU!" the voice demanded. "_I am Rubin Freilie"_ I said in a thoroughly cowed manner. "Do you like torture? You will avoid it if you answer me truthfully." said the voice. "I am." I wailed "Why can't I feel anything?" I pleaded. "You are in a sensory depravation bubble, when we torture you I don't want you distracted by anything else." said the voice. Oh nice, I never though of that, I thought to myself. "We are going to use a laser and burn the flesh off of your skeleton, I think we will start with your big toe. Your choice left foot or right?" "_Oh please don't, I will tell you anything you want to know!"_ This wimpy begging crap was getting old fast, I thought. "This wimpy begging crap is getting old fast." the voice said, "We already know that you are with StarFleet so you might as well tell us all we want to know." "If I'm from StarFleet then you should surrender to me now and save everyone time and trouble." I said in my normal voice. That is when they started on my left big toe.

You have been burned before, everyone has, it hurts and you jump away. I could not jump away and it just kept on burning. I remember someone asking questions but I don't remember answers or even what the questions were. Then blessed darkness.

I awoke on a rack at a 45 degree incline, I felt like some one with steeltoe boots had stomped on my foot then kicked me in the head about four dozen times. I looked out a big picture window and saw the stars and thought, Oh its night already then I looked closer and realized the stars were to clear and pure for just night, I was in space. I looked a round and saw that I had to be in a station or base the visual clues did not say "ship". If there was no atmosphere then why did that small group of stars twinkle in the bottom left of the window? My mind registered the voices talking softly somewhere behind me they were saying, "_we dare not do that again the conditioning in his mind is to deep, we tried to go around it tried to block it but we can't do it, My God we barely got his heart working again! next time we may not be so..." "Next time you better get it right or you will be on that rack!"_

Just then a beautiful sight greeted my eyes, a starbow of epic proportions happened right in front of my window. A Sovereign class ship, two Galaxy class ships and an Ambassador class ship appeared coming straight at me. two Defiant class ships decloaked one on either side of the bottom of my window and started taking out defense positions. Something appeared at the same place as the defense screens and interfered with them, twelve somethings to be precise and I knew what they were. Picard had theorized that if you beamed a cargo box in to the same placed as a shield you would have a "hole" in the shield for a few seconds in order to beam an away team in, he tried it, it worked, now its SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) and just like StarFleet they improved the 'box' so it will hold up a longer time (still measured in seconds)

I heard the deep thrum of a cargo transporter, with their armor and weapons, any more then three Space Marine (AKA Storm Troupers) have to much mass and they have to use the cargo transporters, and you never see less then six at a time. Before the sound even died there was lights and the sound of Type VII Gatlin Phasers firing and Security personal falling all over the room, then the lights turned red and a Klaxon sounded with a female voice repeating "Intruder Alert, All Decks Intruder Alert, Warlord Zim please come to Control, Intruder Alert!"

The cold, arrogant voice said, "surrender or I will kill your Commodore." And I felt something small hard and warm against the back of my head. Then a voice I recognized said, "Go ahead, Commodore Mackenzie Calhoun is not even here. Here I will do it for you." I heard the shot but did not feel a thing, then I heard 'myself' hit the ground and looked down at the body of Zim. "Oh it wasn't me" then the trouper walked around the front of my rack, kicking Zim and his blaster in the process, the blaster skidded across the room to the far corner. And the Trouper, a Captain (just like pigeons, you never see a 'baby' trouper they are always Lieutenant Commander or higher) looked me over, I know that Trouper Armor has a tricorder built in to it's helmet. "You look a mess." That voice again, I know that voice. The visor opened, It was the Commander, she was  trained to lead a Storm Trouper squad but as a Commander not Captain. She pulled her hand phaser, Trouper Armor has a full med. system integrated into them so they don't carry a med. kit, checked its setting and applied Storm Trouper first-aid, She stunned me.

CH 4

Did you know that Star Fleet makes all its sickbays look as close to alike as possible? When I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling, I thought 'good in a Star Fleet sickbay' then I looked around and knew I was on the Indefatigable. My foot had pins and needle feeling in it and two people were talking in the corner. "_...My ship and crew are ready now, Sir" "OK here is your new orders, you are to leave the Mynog system and proceed to Star Base 1 at best possible speed. There you are to turn him over to Star Fleet Medical Central in San Francisco for complete evaluation" "Understood, Sir. Do you think he will ever be on active duty again?"_ "Why don't we ask him since he is awake." They turned and came to my bed, "I thought I saw the rank of Captain on your armor, Congratulations, what ship is so lucky?" I said and she flinched, "Let me introduce Commodore Calhoun, in temporary command of the Black Fleet." She said, avoiding the question and my eyes. "Hello, I thought you were in sector 221b?" I asked, "Kind of out of your way, ain't it?" "Yes, we, the Trident and Excalibur were returning for some updates and supplies when Admiral Clebacheck decided that sending a 'War Lord' to stop a War Lord made some kind of sense. And here I am." said Mac with a shrug. "Well, Thank-you for that save. Can you give me an update on the situation?" I said "I am afraid not, I was given direct orders that you were relived of duty until Star Fleet Medical decides differently, with all the consideration of Flag Rank but no clearance. I am truly sorry." He told me. After some small talk Mac said, "I hope you return to duty soon, Sir" then looked at the Commander, I mean Captain and said, "You have your orders, as soon as I am gone take off and may the wind blow fair." "Yes Sir, and Thank-you" They shake hands and he walked out of sick bay. The Captain touches her communicator and says "bridge... set course for earth warp factor 9 and as soon as the Commodore transports off engage." "Course for Earth and as soon as we are clear engage, Aye Sir"

Two days later I got to leave sick bay for my own cabin, the newly cloned foot still tingled. Get ready for bed and leave the refresher, I laid down and fell off to sleep... that's when the bugs started crawling around in my head. Then I saw Zim and he was laughing at me. "You will never defeat me!" I knew (intellectually) that Zim was light years away but... **He was standing over my bed!**

They put me back in sickbay and sedated me very heavy. When the Captain came to visit me she said, "Star Fleet Medical have told us to divert to DS 4 because there was a renowned Vulcan mind Healer there and it was closer then SB 1." We got there and they wasted no time or so it seemed, I was thoroughly drugged that It could have been a week and I would not have known.

The Vulcan healer did not talk to anyone but his human assistant did talk to everyone and anyone and never told you anything. (Did you ever take the command school class Babalment 101? On how to hold a conversation, sound informative, and never tell anyone anything of importance. This guy was a master, the level 5 black belt, he could teach Babalment 201 for politician.)

"Those sorry good for nuthin' goons stomped through your mind with hob nail jack boots leavin' changes and foot prints all over, random changes too not any sense to'em either. What's your favorite color? Red, nope you like earth tones browns and greens. ** What's that got to do with security?** nuthin' I tell you what. What's your favorite Ice cream? Tallarite Green nope, its plain Vanilla sometimes French Vanilla. **Why they messen' with that?**" He would ramble like that for an hour and if you interrupt him he didn't notice. Sometimes it was funny sometimes incoherent but after a while it was always wearing.

The Captain visited every chance she could. She started telling me what happened after I was given 'first aid' Grand Admiral Saunders gathered his fleet and jumped out of the system losing two of his fifteen ships.(a Saunder's Dozen) "Zim laughed when we reported that to him, he said, 'You should have been faster, now there is no stopping him. Best I've ever seen.'" said the Captain. "We will have to chase him down... if there is a 'WE' again" I said. "The healers aid said you are progressing well and there is hope for a full recovery." she said. I told her, "I remembered something,**_ You Shot Me!_**" She said, "I figured that if you had to be shot you would prefer it from a friend then an enemy."

Well that's about all I can tell you. as soon as the 'counselor' is satisfied that I carried out my end of the deal. He will release me for duty. Bye

Epilog

As I walked out of the turbolift on to the bridge the Storm Trouper beside the door announced, "Admiral on Deck!" "Quit that, its not necessary. besides I'm a Rear-Admiral." I told him gruffly. Can you believe it? I mean its just a Commodore on a permanent basis. That's why the commander got a promotion, the Indefatigable needed a Captain and she fit the bill, and deserved it too. My ships are back in my command and all is right with the world. I have received orders that will take me out of communications for a long while. Maybe I'll have a new story to tell you when I get back. I forgot, Grand Admiral Saunders is still at large. Hope someone gets him and his fleet.

Don't worry about me Bro. I'm like the cat, I always land on my feet.


End file.
